We’re halfway through the USCA racing season, and it’s been a great journey on Optima’s Search For The Ultimate Street Car. If you are looking for bitchin Pro Touring and Exotic machines turning tires on some of the most famous race tracks in the world, then this is the series for you. It’s fun, you’ll get more track time that at any other event in the country, and the people are awesome. Oh, and we can’t forget the fact that if you come to one of these events you are going to end up on TV. Some may even become the next stars of the Pro Touring movement. But while every competitor at every event has raved about the amount of track time, the great people, and the amazing race tracks, there are a few things I think we can tell you, the future competitor, that will make your time at the next USCA event in Portland, even better.
In addition to my observations and recommendations, we’ll also have some words of wisdom and advice from Suzy Bauter who is sharing her own experiences from pas USCA events.
First off, do not come to a USCA event expecting to be annoyed with events that don’t seem to happen on time. That is NOT the way a USCA event works. When they say racing starts at 9AM, they mean it. If the driver’s meeting is scheduled for 8:30, you better be there. This level of organization means that you get to spend every available minute out on the track running your car, rather than sitting around waiting for the promoter to get his act together.
Second, make sure you read the rules! As the host of MavTV’s Optima Search for the Ultimate Street Car, I see all kinds of things that cost people points. Remember, the competition is scored based on 5 segments, and the Lingenfelter Design and Engineering Challenge is the for some reason the one that seems to cost people the most available points, and usually for stupid stuff that would be easy points for them! I have seen a few cars at these events that have lost multiple points for lacking street equipment like the horn, backup lights, and turn signals. These are real points that have proven to be the difference in winning and losing when you are talking about an event that has winners and losers separated by tenths of points. And some of these easy to score with street items are the great equalizers when regularly driven street cars are up against very purpose built machines.
By far the most important thing to bring with you to any USCA event, is a good attitude and a penchant for fun. Practice smiling for a few weeks before each of these events, because if you don’t your face is going to hurt after the permagrin is firmly planted on your face throughout the weekend.
Want to know more? Here’s Suzy’s list of things to remember when you visit a USCA Optima Search for the Ultimate Street Car event near you.
What My Experiences Have Been With USCA:
I have participated on one level or another in three USCA events (Laguna Seca, Daytona and Gateway). Aside from learning that the USCA is a class act and puts on an extremely well-managed event, I’ve also picked up a few queues along the way.
-Don’t judge a book by its cover; there’s a good chance you’ll get beat by the least likely looking car.
(Chad: This means that you should be coming out to these events even if you aren’t driving the most bad ass car ever. Everyone has a chance to be The Man, or Woman, at any event.)
-Be a citizen, not a patron. The community will reward you more than the event.
-Don’t be afraid. This is a welcoming group that wants more than anything for everyone to have fun. You can do as little or as much as you want, but you will not be disappointed for attending and you will get more than your money’s worth.
-Walk around, take it all in. These events have a certain ‘magic’ to them, they make friends out of the least likely characters. There is a reason why the tracks being chosen for these events are legendary, don’t micro focus on racing and miss an opportunity to pee in the same urinal or gaze from the same spot in the pits, as Richard Petty or Jeff Gordon.
(Chad: She said pee.)
So come join us at a USCA Optima Search for the Ultimate Street Car event near you. We’ll be in Portland this weekend. Will you? Click the link below for more information and to sign up now!
CLICK HERE TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THESE EVENTS
While I wish the USCA all the best, the $500/event entry fee is kind of steep (especially when the results will be dominated by the pros in the mega-buck pro touring machines).
$500 will buy several open track day entries with some high-speed touring associations . . . or at least ten weeks of test & tune at many drag strips . . . or even multiple autocross entries . . or the better part of two Hot Rod Magazine Drag Week entries . . . .
I’m not saying that it’s not worth $500, because it may well be. But that’s fairly tough nut to crack (not factoring in the probable set of pricey UTQG 200 summer UHP tires and HP brakes that will probably get used up in the process)
Nobody said that motorsports was for the flat-wallet set, though.
When I look at $500 for a weekend at the track, I first think, good lord that’s expensive. But I ponied up the cash, and I’ve never regretted it. These events have been fantastic. I’ve met so many people from around the country, bettered myself as a driver, and tested the limits of my car. There are track events I’ve been to for $150 that have left me feeling far more ripped off. The $500 for USCA pays for excellent organization, instructors whenever you want them, and the overall feeling of being part of a top notch operation.
As far as pros in big-money cars are concerned…. I just look at that as a challenge. Yeah, they’re hard to beat, but when I manage to do so, I feel that much more accomplished.
At the recent USCA Gateway event I ran 15 speed stop runs (I quit about an hour early), 14 autocross runs (many instructor aided by a evolution school level instructor) and (5) 20 minute road course sessions (three of which were also school level instructor aided). I had more one on one instruction time at this event than I did during the recent 1 day SCCA Starting Line school I paid $325 to attend. And the Starting Line school was a GOOD deal!! Do you know how much a day at an Evo School costs? The instructors provided at the USCA event were included FREE OF CHARGE thanks to Jet Hot Coatings.
But that wasn’t even the best part of the Gateway USCA event. The people, the friends, the food, the good times, everything ran like a well oiled machine, no downtimes, no waiting, no wondering what’s going on…we were busy the whole freaking time we were there doing what we enjoy the most. Driving our cars fast!!
I’ll venture a guess that my car was the least expensive build in my class of 27 vehicles at Gateway…and I finished 17th overall in points. Yet at the same time I was made to feel welcome by everyone there, participants, vendors, event officials…they all made me feel just like one of the guys. I can’t wait to get to another USCA event…making plans for it already!
I am a rookie to the events put on by USCA and others. I have never autocrossed or been out on road course simply because I did not beleive I had a car good enough. I missed participating in the Laguna Seca event but I went as a spectator and liked what I saw so I worked even harder on the car.
I participated in the Fontana USCA after a mad scramble to get my car road worthy. My car is home built and even though it still has some bugs I went out and had a great time. My driving sucked but the instructors provided were a great help. Car still needs some work but I am heading out on the long drive to Portland for the next event. Call me crazy but I hope to have an even better time at this next event. You only live once. Make it worth it.